A.N.: Guess who's coming in this fic? The other Demolition Boys!
Go2Hell! ¬¬'''' Nooooooo... seriously? BAKA!
Bryan/Spencer/Ian --'''' Fantaaaaaaastic...
You guys don't have to be so sarcastic, you know? All right, on with the fic!
THROUGH ETERNITY
CHAPTER 4 – DEMOLITION BOYS
Five more days went by since Tala's discovery, but the boy would no longer go out to spy, he had already understood what he had been missing. The reason why Kai wasn't burned, the reason why Kai could speak to phoenixes, the reason why Kai could live in an area that was practically made only of volcanoes and lava, the reason why Kai didn't feel any need for clothes... Kai was a phoenix himself.
But, since when do phoenixes have human-like bodies? That was one question to Tala had not found the answer to, but the hunter had a bigger problem: he was facing a very conflicting battle of his own emotions...
He had grown to appreciate Kai, having, after all, being saved and guided to safety by the bluenette, who made sure Dranzer would stay with him, keeping the environment around the redhead one that he could live in, and the boy-like creature was surely intriguing. However, Tala DID work for Voltaire, and he had promised the old man to bring the most special phoenix back for the Hiwatari Collection, but, to the hunter's complete despair, found he could not do such a thing, for the most special creature there was obviously Kai... and he wouldn't dare to do such a thing. And if he tried taking another one and keeping Kai's existence a secret, the redhead would surely lose the crimson-eyed boy's trust... which had suddenly turned very important to Tala, as if they were childhood friends.
It was despairing, but the hunter knew what the right decision was and he was also determined to make it: keep everything he had witnessed a secret... but how to explain that to Voltaire without being half-beaten to death? How to make the older Russian believe him? These questions kept bothering him, but Tala couldn't seem to find a coherent answer, after all, lying to the man who had practically raised him was out of question, but betraying the one who had treated him all that time was also unthinkable... so what to do?
What Tala didn't realize, though, was that the more he took his time to solve these puzzles, the more Voltaire got impatient.
Three weeks since he arrived in Japan went by, and Tala, already walking by the volcano area again, was beginning to think he would have to go back empty-handed and face Voltaire's wrath, when he heard some whispered voices, so he hid himself behind a large rock, temporarily forgetting those problems as he watched the intruders, afraid they'd be hunters.
And he couldn't be more correct.
There, right in front, stood the 3 boys which formed the feared hunting team of Voltaire's private hunting party, the Demolition Boys Hunting Pack, second only to Tala, even if the redhead was alone instead of being in a group.
"Bryan, Spencer, Ian... did they come here to get the phoenix? Voltaire must think I'm already dead if he sent them," the redhead thought. "If that's so, I'd just have to remain dead and there would be no problem! But... where would I go? I can't stay here, that's for sure, and if can't go back home, where can I go?"
Deciding not to confuse things even more, Tala discretely returned to the cave, making sure neither the Demolition Pack nor none of the other phoenixes saw him. To his luck, both Kai and Dranzer were there, the mighty Fire Phoenix having decided to stop following him, since the hunter already knew his way around and how to avoid the others.
Tala lost no time. "Kai, Dranzer. I just saw more hunters outside the Phoenixes' Valley, the Demolition Boys Hunting Pack. I'm sure they have come to get a phoenix too, since they work for the same person I do."
Kai, looking as serious as usual, answered, "They may have come to get you, Tala. You should go back, you can't stay here forever, always hiding from the other phoenixes, since they will never be able to accept you." He said, almost in a monotone, but the other boy was able to detect a small, almost inexistent hint of sadness in the reply.
The hunter, although a bit taken back by such a forward answer, as was to be expected from Kai, nodded, after a few seconds, and began to gather his things. Kai was right, it was time he went back and faced his employer.
When he finished, Kai and Dranzer accompanied him to the spot where he'd seen the three boys previously, but remained behind, after saying their goodbyes, hidden by the very same rock Tala had used for the same purpose before.
Tala approached the group, which seemed to be taking a break, laying down to rest.
"Ian, Bryan, Spencer!"
Hearing their names, all 3 opened their eyes and quickly looked in the direction the voice had come from. Seeing their companion there, they quickly rose to greet him.
"Tala! Thank goodness! You're alive!" Was Spencer's comment.
"I knew you wouldn't die that easily!" Ian said.
"Well... I almost did..."
"Did you find any?" Bryan asked bluntly, to which Tala stiffened a bit, but immediately broke into a smile... same old Bryan.
"No, I didn't."
"You mean you stayed all this time, here, alone, and didn't find a single phoenix?" Spencer asked.
"That's right. There are no phoenixes here."
"Are you sure, pal?" Ian asked. "Are you sure that's the answer you want to give Voltaire-sama?"
"Yes."
"Then... I'm sorry, my friend, but we tried to give you a chance," Bryan said with a bit of sorrow in his voice.
Tala, not understanding the last words, barely had enough time to see Spencer's fist as it was fiercely knocked on his stomach, making the redhead immediately fall unconscious in his arms.
"I'm sorry, Tala, but Voltaire-sama told us to bring you back for punishment if you refused to admit the truth and capture the phoenix he wants. He knows you've been with them for some time now, and he won't admit traitors," the blond said as he placed the unconscious body on his shoulders, even though he knew the other could no longer hear him.
"Voltaire-sama also said to get him... the one which the infrared scanner showed... the other boy," Ian said.
"Yeah... and he's right there!" Bryan said as he aimed his bazooka, discretely, but quickly, taken out of the case beside him and firing it on the large rock a few meters in front of them, making it explode into a million pieces, sending the bluenette a bit farther, straight to the rocky side of a volcano, resulting in a sickening loud sound. Kai was barely able to remain conscious with the impact.
"You should have told us the truth, Tala," Ian said sadly as if the redhead could listen, while firing one of his nets to capture the crimson-eyed boy.
Kai saw the net in time to make fire surround him, in order to burn it and remain out of harm's way, but the net seemed to resist it.
"It's a fire-proof net, my friend. Your fire, as strong as it is, will not be able to avoid it," the smallest of them said. And indeed, the net resisted the fire... and was soon able to hold Kai captive. When it was safely secured around him, the net released an electric shock, not too strong, but effectively knocking the boy out.
At that moment, Dranzer, who had just recovered from the first shot of Bryan's bazooka, gave a high-pitched screech and rose to attack the Demolition Pack, but they were ready. With incredible reflexes, Bryan fired again, fully hitting the mighty phoenix, which fell motionless on the ground. "That should hold her down enough for us to escape. We have to get out of here before the others arrive, unless we want to consider this our graves!" The lilac-haired boy warned.
"Shouldn't we bring her too? She is a fine specimen," Ian asked.
"No. Voltaire-sama clearly said he only wanted this boy. The microscopic infrared scanner secretly put on Tala's backpack indicated he has different readings that are very much like a phoenix, and that's why Voltaire-sama is so interested in him. Leave her there, she'll never be able to reach us in Russia in that state anyway," Spencer answered.
And with that, they ran off, carrying two unconscious bodies with them, hurrying to get away from the volcanoes before being spotted by the other phoenixes, which would have surely heard all the commotion by now and come to investigate. When they reached the roads, a small jeep was waiting for them, ready to take them to the airport, where the group would board a private jet straight to Russia... straight to Voltaire.
But they never noticed two large birds following them, one staggering and faltering, but neither ever losing them from their sights. Dranzer and her mate were following the human-shaped phoenix, determined to protect it... determined to save the one known to them as Kai, the special phoenix.
END of CHAPTER 4 - DEMOLITION BOYSA.N.: Please, don't kill me! I write solely to entertain... of course, a few bosts to my ego do me wonders too!
Next up is the bittersweet ending, andafter that the "happy" one. For the readers who aren't used to my fanfictions, here's the drill: I like to (usually) keep them short, and when I can't decide on a happy or sad ending, I write both and put them up anyway.
So, what do you think? What don't you get? What mistakes did you find? Answers and more if you REVIEW, telling me all about your opinions on this chapter, this fic, this Grammar!
Kai /Syaoran --''
Syaoran-Lover signing out!